Believe On His Name by Brother Duke Hansen

        Good morning. For our scripture reading this morning, we are going to be in the book of John. John was genuinely taken by the revelation of Jesus. It begins the very first chapter which has some parallels with the beginning of Genesis. The opening verse contains one of the most profound truths in scripture. So, we will be reading John chapter1 starting with verse 1.

        In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

        2 The same was in the beginning with God.

        John writes this correctly for he saw the truth revealed to him in his life.

        3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

        4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

        5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

        6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  

        7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 

        John the Baptist is one of the most significant figures in scripture. He was the first prophet called by God since Malachi 400 years prior. John was a relative of Jesus. When he had his ministry, John was baptizing people who had confessed their sins and repent of them. 

        8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

        9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

       10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

        11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

        The spirit has a way of manifesting in different and sometimes surprising ways.

        12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.

        Verse 12 is the message. The man and woman of God are to be separated, a peculiar people from the rest of the world. You have to read the room and take the temperature before you discuss things of the word. Your fellow brothers and sisters may understand what you speak about because their journeys are similar to yours.

        You don't know Jesus. You got to whine and plead to him in prayer over an obstacle and you may have 5 more obstacles in your way by him.

        13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

        14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

        I accepted Jesus as my lord and savior. I gave my heart to the Lord. These are just 2 different phrases the world would say are signs of salvation. Verse 14 is some description of the life of Jesus.

        15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake. He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

        The John in verse 15 is John the Baptist. The pharisees would go out to see if John was baptizing people in his name. Let's move down to verse 35 in this chapter.

        35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples.

        36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

        37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

        Let's go to verse 40.

        40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.

        41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him. We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

        42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas. which is by interpretation, A stone.

        The revelation of Jesus as the rock would be revealed in the ministry of Jesus to Simon Peter. 

        We are going to go to chapter 3 now. We will be beginning with verse 1.

        There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

        2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

        Not only was Nicodemus a pharisee but he was also a member as a Sanhedrin which was the ruling body of the Jews in this time. So, the two of them meet in the night for the following scriptures.

        3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

        The kingdom of God Jesus spoke of was not heaven itself but it was the holy spirit. See Daniel 2:44.

        4 Nicodemus saith unto him, how can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

        Nicodemus' faith at this moment is what he believed he perceived from his education as a pharisee. The same goes for you on your walk. You believe what you think it means.

        5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

        Do you draw out virtue from God like the woman with the issue of blood? Are we drawing something else? Are we ever making ourselves noticed to God?

        The kingdom of God on earth is the holy ghost. There has already been one resurrection and fulfillment of a covenant.

        6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

        7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

        8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

        The holy ghost favors the bold in his search. Not one who does things with a half heart or minor measure.

        9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

       10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

        11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

        12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

        Verse 12 is a good verse for us today. If we can't follow God about our lives and things on earth, how are we going to comprehend the spiritual?

        13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

        14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even do must the Son of man he lifted up:

        15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

        16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

        17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

        18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

        The key to this very familiar scripture selection is the phrase "believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

        19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

        

        Our journey can get stuck when we have unresolved issues or moments in our life. You need to learn how to forgive and let go. Get the hurt to begin to heal. When the spirit starts to move, you will have to move with it. Condemnation goes if you are following Jesus.

        20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

        People believe wrong of how God responds to you. If there is silence to your prayer, you mistake it as acceptance.

        21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds mat be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

        Get rid of sin and darkness before you are able to get into the light. The purpose of all this scripture this morning is to remind you the importance of the truth which is Jesus is God. Dig into the gospel of John which leads to the book of Acts.